Type-writer cabinet.



H. J. RITTER. TYPE WRITER UABINET. ArPLIoATIoN rILED 00T. 1o, 190s.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

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H. J. RITTER.A TYPE WRITER UABINET. AP-PLIOATION FILED 00T. 1o, 190e.

Patented 0111. 18,1910.

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H. J. RITTER.

TYPE WRITER CABINET. APPLIoATloN FILED 001.10, 190e.

vInsmentea oet. 18,1910;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HENRY J. RITTER, 0F TIPPECANOE CITY, OHIO.

TYPE-WRITER CABINET.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented (bet. 18, 1910.

Application led October 10, 1908. Serial No. 457,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. RITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tippecanoe City, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type- Vriter Cabinets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to typewriter cabinets.

The object of the invention is to provide an eXtensible cabinet of this character which, when in its contracted position, will occupy a minimum amount of space and which, when in its extended position, will comprise a support for the typewriter, a support for the work and a writing desk, all of said members being so arranged as to be accessible by the operator from his seat in front of the typewriter support.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a cabinet with a typewriter support which will be firmly mounted and not liable to vibrate when the machine is operated; to provide the same with means for facilitating its movement toward and away from the cabinet proper; to provide a stationery receptacle which, when the several members of the cabinet are in their eX- tended position, will be supported within the reach of the operator and which, when the cabinet is in its contracted position, will be folded back against one of the side walls of the typewriter casing; and further, to so construct and arrange the several parts of the cabinet that the same will be of a strong, durable character and easily operated.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features and in certain combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be described, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a cabinet embodying my invention, in its extended position; Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of such a cabinet; Fig. 3 is a. transverse, sectional view of the upper portion of the cabinet or typewriter casing; Fig. l is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line :c of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the casters for the typewriter support; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view, showing the support for the movable typewriter supporting platform; Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the guide rods for the sliding door; and Fig 8 is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line y y/ of Fig. 6.

In these drawings I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention and have shown the same as comprising a main frame, or cabinet proper, l which is of a. height somewhat greater than the height of the usual typewriter desk and is preferably substantially rectangular in cross section. rlhe lower portion of this main frame is provided with a series of drawers 2 and a book cupboard having a door 3, which drawers and cupboard may be arranged in any suitable manne-r. rlhe upper portion of the main frame comprises a typewriter casing or receptacle 4 adapted to receive and inclose the typewriter when the cabinet is in its contracted position. This typewriter casing has one side open and the open side is provided with a door 5 which is adapted, when in its open position, to be supported in the upper portion of the casing t. To this end I have provided the casing with rods 6 extending transversely to the main frame. These rods are arranged parallel with the front and rear walls, respectively, and have one of their ends secured in one of the side walls of the casing some distance from the adjacent front and rear walls, respectively, and have i their opposite ends bent downwardly and inwardly, as shown at 7, and secured to the front and rear walls, respectively, and spaced a distance therefrom, preferably by securing the same to the ends of the supporting blocks or projections 8. The door 5 is slidably secured to each of these rods,

preferably by means of eyes or staples 9 secured to the inner face of the door near the upper edge thereof and extending about the respective rods 6. Vhen the door 5 is moved outwardly, the eyes or staples 9 come into engagement with the bent-over portions of the rods 6 and coperate therewith to form a hinge or pivotal center, about which the door turns, the outer ends of the rods 6 engaging against the inner face of the door and serving to prevent the eyes 9 from moving away from the bent-over portions of the rods. Thus, when the door has been moved into a substantially perpendicular position, the eye 9 and the bent-over portion 7 of the rod will form a hinge or support therefor.

The main frame of the cabinet 1 is provided with a typewriter supporting platform movably mounted thereon and adapted to extend beyond one side thereof. In the present instance, this typewriter supporting platform is shown at 10 and forms the bottom for the typewriter casing or receptacle t. As here shown, the supporting platform 10 is slidably mounted on the main frame which is provided with bearing rollers 11 to facilitate the movement thereof. The rollers 11 which lie nearest the door or open side of the casing 4 are preferably supported in a horizontal plane slightly higher than those rollers which are mounted at a point removed from the door, thus avoiding any tendency on the part of the platform and the machine carried thereby to move outwardly when the cabinet is moved from one position to another. The bearing rollers 11 may be of any suitable character. In the present instance they are shown as provided with peripheral grooves 12 adapted to receive ribs 18 secured to the supporting platform 10 and extending longitudinally thereof. Thus, the bearing rollers 11 serve not only to facilitate the 1novement of the supporting platform, but also to prevent any lateral displacement thereof. I also prefer to'provide suitable guides for controlling the movement of the supporting platform 10, and, in the present instance, I have provided suitable guide members, such as the strips 14, extending transversely to the main frame 1 and secured to the front and rear walls thereof, respectively, and having guides or longitudinal grooves 15 formed in the inner faces thereof and adapted to receive pins 16 secured to the opposite edges of the supporting platform 10 at points near the rear end thereof. The width of the grooves 15 is somewhat greater than the diameter of the pins 16 and the grooves or guideways terminate at points adjacent to the open side of the casing 4E,

thus forming stops 17 which engage the pins 16 and limit the outward movement of the supporting platform. The arrangement of these stops relatively to the pins and to the adjacent rollers 11 is such that the inner end of the supporting platform will pass off of the rollers before the pins 16 come into engagement with the stops 17, and, inasmuch as the diameter of the pins is less than the width of the grooves, the supporting platform is permitted to move downwardly until it comes into engagement with the main frame which affords a solid support for the inner end thereof. The outer end of the supporting platform is provided with a suitable support which, in the present instance, consists of a single leg or panel 18 of a width substantially equal to the width of the adjacent side of the main frame or cabinet proper and adapted to form the side wall thereof when the cabinet is in its contracted position. This leg or support 18 normally has its lower end in direct engagement with the floor, thus affording a solid support for the outer end of the supporting platform 1() and serves, together with the solid support for the inner end of that platform, to prevent any vibration thereof when the machine carried thereby is operated.

In order to facilitate the movement of the supporting platform toward and away from the main frame I have provided the support or leg 18 with suitable casters 19 which are normally supported out of engagement with the floor, but may be moved into engagement therewith and caused to assume the weight of the adjacent edge of the platform when so desired. Each of these casters is preferably provided with an upwardly extending rod 20 extending through apertured lugs 21 secured to the inner face of the support 18, there being preferably one caster and its cooperating rod 20 near each side of the support. A spring 22 coiled about the rod 20 and confined between a stop 23 carried thereby and the lower lug 21 serves to hold the caster 19, carried by that rod, normally out of engagement with the floor. The upper ends of the rods 20 preferably extend to a point near the lower side of the supporting platform 10 where they are eccentrically connected to a shaft 24, which shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 25 upon the inner face of the support 18. The rods may be connected to this shaft in any suitable manner, but, in the present instance, I have shown the outer ends of the shaft 24 as bent laterally to form arms 26 which are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the rods 20. An outwardly extending handle 27 is rigidly secured to the shaft 24: at points intermediate the bearings 25. Thus, itwill be seen that the upward movement-of the handle 27 will move the rod 20 downwardly to bring the caster 19 into engagement with the floor and that the upward strain upon the bearings for the shaft 24, as well as the downward strain upon the pivotal connection between the arms 26 and the rod 20, will tend to move the support 18 out of engagement with the floor and to press the caster 19 into engagement with the floor, thus throwing the weight of the platform upon the caster. INhen it is desired to move the supporting platform into its inner position, the handle 27 is actuated to throw the weight of the supporting platform upon the caster 19 and the supporting platform 10 and its supporting member 18 are moved inwardly until the support 18 has come into engagement with the adjacent side of the main frame l. When the handle 27 is released the elevation of the guideways and moved inwardly, the link 38 will tend to bearing rollers for the supporting platform i move the link 37 about its pivotal point of is such that when in the inner position both the caster 19 and the lower end of the support 18 are out of engagement with the floor,

thus leaving the cabinet as a whole free to be moved on the casters 28 by which it is supported. y

The supporting platform is preferably provided with an extension 29 forming a support for the work. This extension or support for the work is movably mounted on the supporting platform 10 and is adapted to be moved beyond one edge thereof when the cabinet is in its extended position. In the present instance this extension is slidably mounted on the under side of the supporting platform 10 by means of guides 30 having grooves or guideways 31 inthe inner edges thereof adapted to receive the adjacent edges of the extension 29. This extension is preferably arranged longitudinally of the supporting platform, and, when in its extended position, forms a support at the left hand of the operator, upon which he may lay his work.

The front wall of the casing 4C is preferably adapted to be moved into a horizontal position to form a writing desk, and, to this end, this side wall, which is indicated by the reference numeral 32, is hinged to the main frame near the lower edge of the casing 4f,

, as shown at 33, and is provided with suitable folding stops, such as the chains 34, to limit the downward movement thereof and support the same in a horizontal position.

I have also provided a stationery receptacle or paper holder comprising a series of compartments adapted to receive the various sizes of paper and envelops in use. This stationery holder is preferably so supported Withinthe casing 1 that, when the work supporting platform l0 is in its outer position, the stationery receptacle will lie close to the front side-of the casing l and the front wall 32 of this casing having been lowered, the receptacle will be within reach of the operator from his position at the typewriter supporting platform. This receptacle is here shown as hinged at one edge to the main frame, as shown at 36, the point of connection being removed some distance from the adjacent side wall of the casing 4. A link 37 is pivotally connected at one end to the bottom of the receptacle 35 and is pivotally connected at its opposite end to the adjacent end of a second link 38,

which link, in turn, is pivotally connected at its opposite end to the supporting platform 10. A spring 39 is connected at one end to the link 37 at a point removed a short distance from its pivotal connection to the receptacle 35 and it is connected at its other end to the end wall of the receptacle 35.

Thus, as the supporting platform 10 is connection to the receptacle 35. This movement will be resisted by the spring 39 and the receptacle 35 will be moved about its pivotal center. The action of the spring 39 on the link 37 is such that as the receptacle 35 approaches the side wall of the casing l, it will be moved positively into its position against the side wall.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided an extensible cabinet which, when in its contracted position, occupies a minimum amount of space and is of such a'character as to fit within and harmonize with the furniture of an office, and which, when in its extended position, will be provided with a firm, nonvibratory support for the typewriter, a support for the work at one side of the typewriter, a writing desk within reach of the operator from his position in front of the typewriter support and a stationery receptacle also within reach of the operator. Further, it will be apparent that the typewriter support is so constructed and so mounted that, when in its extended position, it forms a solid support but is easily movable into and out of the main frame, and, when in its retracted position, it will not tend to gravitate toward the open side of the inclosing casing. It will also be observed that I have provided the inclosing casing with a door adapted to be moved into position in the upper portion of the casing and so mounted that it is not liable to bind in such a manner as to interfere with its operation. It will be further apparent that I have provided the device as a whole of a strong thoroughly mechanical construction, the operating parts of which are of such a character that they are not liable to become disarranged or to be rendered inoperative.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modiications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cabinet of the character described, a main frame comprising a casing, a supporting platform slidably mounted in said main frame, beneath said casing and forming a bottom therefor, an extension slidably mounted beneath said supporting platform, adapted to extend beyond the outer end of said platform for use concurrently therewith and movable both with said platform and independently thereof, vwhereby it may be closed without disturbing the machine supported by said platform, and a desk hinged to the front of said main frame near the bottom of said casing and adapted to be supported in a substantially horizontal position at right angles to said supporting` plat-form, whereby the user sitting' in the angle between the platform and door may use from his position the desk, the platform and the extension.

2. In a cabinet of the Character described, a main frame comprising a easing, a supporting platform slidably mounted in said main frame beneath said casing and forming a bottom therefor, a stationery holder mounted in said cabinet and having one end pivotally connected to said casing' at one of the forward corners thereof, and a connection between said platform and the holder arranged to swing the holder about its pivotal center and cause it to extend across the front opening of said Cabinet when said platform is drawn out and swing the holder back into the cabinet when the platform is' moved into the cabinet, and a writing shelf hinged to the front of said main frame near said opening and adapted to close the same. In testimony whereof7 I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. RITTER. Witnesses: v

FLORA A. DOLL,

ELLIS DAVIS. 

